Master-at-Arms Coin Display

A gentleman approached me at a craft show and asked if I could do a custom coin display for a friend.He brought me the coins and I inset them into a piece of walnut flooring I got from an elderly woodworker who was closing his shop.I’ve never done a custom coin shape other than round so I did a prototype with his coins and a couple of mine to figure out the best method.Forstner bit for rough inset finished with a dremel router.The round coin is inset into blue felt.The other two coins are inset directly into the wood (pressed in by hand).Finish is hand rubbed 2#shellac polished on the Beall Buff.Appreciate any comments, critiques, or suggestions.

Rob, would love to see the pictures.As for the process.I traced around each coin and then rough drilled the holes with a forstner bit.

Note the 1/4” holes go all the way through so the coins can be pushed out if necessary.

Then I used a dremel tool in a router attachment with a 1/8” spiral upcut bit to cut away to the pencil lines.There was a lot of carve, check fit, carve some more until I got the holes just big enough to press the coins in.

There was also a far bit of strong language as the bit kept vibrating down in the chuck, but the extra depth isn’t noticed behind the coin.